Penniless Hearts

by Eve Gaal

“No, flew out during the crash. I tried to find it, but my leg–the hot lava….” Mac sputtered his words and added, “I think I broke a rib.”

  “Shit,” Darin said softly, looking around for something, anything to use for protection. Nothing. He watched the pilot land in a business complex near a medical center. Darin's eyes searched the area for police cars, cruisers and black and white SUV's. Nothing. “I think we're okay, bud,” he whispered glancing at the pained expression on his friend's face. “We just have to get you to that medical facility. It's about fifty yards from here. I'll get you a wheel chair.”

  The pilot turned towards Darin and pointing to a large building said, “This is the closest I can get to that medical center.” He opened the door and assisted Darin with Mac, while the rotary blades whirled above. He waited until the two of them were on the pavement before getting back in to take off. Inside the cockpit, he felt relief wash over his body. It felt like a cool and refreshing dip in Hilo Bay.

  “Thanks,” Darin shouted, waving to the pilot and holding onto Mac.

  A minute later as he rose into the Hawaiian sky, the pilot heard a voice blasting into a mega-phone. It shouted, “Put your arms in the air, you're both under arrest.”

  * * *

  Chapter Sixty-Five

  The afternoon sun poked through the clouds, causing a reflection to bounce between the cars at the Martin dealership. Rain had come and gone and the ash from yesterday had slipped down into the gutter, flowing back into nature, repeating the cycle that created it.

  Miliani had left her cell phone somewhere and she walked through the double doors to speak with the operator.

  “Is Darin here?”

  “No, can I help you?”

  “I lost my cell phone. Anyone turn one in?”

  “I don't think so,” the operator answered, but why don't you look in his office.”

  Turning towards Darin's office she slowly strolled by the other little office where she had pleased him, causing him to scream her name. Screaming her name was a good sign, because it meant she knew her business–and knowing your business in the competitive world of women who wanted wealthy men was comparable to a championship sport among her peers. There were plenty of cheap men out there, but getting one who appreciated her body increased her self-esteem and her value at the club. Pretty soon, she could charge double.

  Casually, she lifted a few papers on his desk and looked out through the window where he usually parked his truck. No truck, no phone, no Darin. Time to check the office with the brochure taped to the window. The brochure was still there, and when she placed her hand on the knob, she heard grunts and groans emanating from the little room. Damn, she thought. He was having fun with someone else. The walls shook and the door rattled, but Miliani quickly backed away and ran to her car. “Darin very stupid,” she kept repeating, “very, very stupid man.”

  * * *

  Chapter Sixty-Six

  Carl waited on the line. His hand shook while holding the phone to his ear. “Room service please,” he said, staring at the tiny letters on the glossy in-room menu. Focusing on the mouthwatering entrée selections made his eyes seem blurrier than before. A headache combined with hunger made his skin feel sensitive to the cold air plummeting out of the air conditioner. Finally, someone came on the line to take his order.

  “Hi, I'm going to order a French-dip sandwich with fries. Can you charge it to my room?” he asked, feeling dizzy. “Room 422–Yes, a cola–good. Thanks,” he added and hung up. Reclining on the blue and green bedspread, he noticed it contrasted sharply with his red, painfully burned body. He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep until loud knocking woke him.

  “Yes, I'm coming,” Carl said, slowly shifting his feet to the carpet, and standing up only to lose his equilibrium. He pulled himself up from between the two queen beds, “I'm coming,” he grumbled again, steadying his legs by leaning against the edge of the bed. Carl took two steps towards the door, unlocked it and pulled it open. He held the door for the room steward who rolled the delicious smelling meal into the room, lifted the silver cloche and waited for his gratuity.

  Reaching into his pocket, vertigo overtook Carl, and he fell forward, fainting from a myriad of complications that included hunger, jet lag, heat stroke, sunstroke, sunburn and dehydration. Stepping around Carl's body, the steward dialed the manager of the resort, who dialed 911.

  * * *

  Chapter Sixty-Seven

  Transfixed on the balcony, Heidi felt mesmerized by the fresh air, the blue ocean and the crashing waves. Looking out towards Diamond Head, she felt her recurring need to go surfing well up like a manatee's desire to swim from the deep into shallower water.

  “Wake up, I'm sober now and I want to go surfing,” she hollered into the room.

  Dan groaned.

  She walked in and grabbed her suit. “Dan, wake up, this is supposed to be fun. Please.” She nudged him with her right hand, but Dan turned around on the bed, pulling a sheet over his head as though waiting for Heidi to leave him alone. “You are so stubborn,” she said walking towards the bathroom. “Come up for air and you can have some of the coffee I made.”

  A few minutes later, Heidi looked ready for the beach but Dan continued snoring loudly on the king-sized bed. Her eyes lingered on the lazy form under the white sheets in front of her, while she tried piecing together her recollections from earlier in the morning. Why couldn't the man in bed be that kind, caring California guy John, instead of this slick, lard-ass who had no hobbies besides getting laid?

  “Bye,” she said, “I'll meet you at the bar.” Heading for the door, she almost turned the knob when she heard a loud knock. She swung open the door and a group of official looking men stood in front of her. The hotel manager immediately asked for her name and he had her spell it as he wrote it down. Four policemen eagerly awaited the manager's go-ahead, before entering the room.

  “Is that Captain Dan Losegg?” The manager asked, handing a note to one of the officers who radioed information to headquarters.

  Shaken, she answered, “Yes, but I think he's sleeping.” The police officers pushed past her, taking hold of a startled Dan, handcuffing him and reading him his Miranda rights all in one fell swoop. Heidi thought this would be a good time for her to leave, but knew better than to try outrunning the policemen. Staring at the manager, she watched him step out of the room and wander down the hall.

  “What is this?” Dan yelled, pulling his pants on with assistance from one of the cops. Looking up at Heidi's eyes, he had to look away. Many times in the past, Heidi had helped him make small shipments. Curls that usually hid under his pilot hat now bounced in the air and fell onto his forehead. None of this would have happened if he could have stayed with Penny. Damn Arlene.

  “We've busted your friend Mac, and he told us you are one of his shipping contacts,” the biggest cop said.

  “Yup, sang like a freaking canary,” the skinny one added. Then the skinny cop walked to the closet to check for a hidden accomplice. Turning back around he said, “The car dealer, helicopter pilot and the airline captain who engineered one of the biggest drug shipments Hawaii has ever seen,” he laughed, “Can't wait to see this on Dateline.”

  While snickering at the joke, they noticed Heidi starting for the open door. As soon as she took a step into the lobby, the heavy cop holding on to Dan yelled to the others, “Hey get her, if her name is Heidi, she's been aiding and abetting for years.”

  “Dan,” she screamed while two other officers placed wrist restraints around her hands. “You told me you weren't doing this anymore!” She yelled across the room, kicking at the bed and trying to pull away from the stronghold of the officers. Her athletic build made it difficult for Waikiki's finest to hold her, but the fact that she wore a bathing suit made it a tad more enjoyable.

  “Add resisting arrest,” the skinny one said, watching her elbow the officer cuffing her.

  The policemen pushed them toward the elevator, “I told you, three days a
go about the big one,” Dan blurted to Heidi, tears running down his face. “Remember, flying out of LAX? I said, 'Operation Penny' was going down as planned?”

  “Shut up Dan, I don't remember anything,” she sneered. Those guilt-ridden days were over and his simple plan had turned into twisted wreckage. Operation Penny had gone down all right. Down like a 747 with a drunken pilot. Dan had asked for her help several times in the past and the little packages had been a godsend for escalating her into a lavish life-style. Obviously, it was easy to get used to expensive sunscreen, a lake view condominium, favorite designer shoes and her signature Chanel red lipsticks—but that was years ago. They rarely flew on the same flights anymore.

  “Don't cry, mister,” the large cop said to Dan, interrupting her thoughts, and pushing her head down, shoving her into the backseat of the police car. “Once we get back to the station, we can call your mommy.” They all burst into laughter, and the skinny one asked, “What I want to know is, if this is Heidi, then who's Penny?”

  * * *

  Chapter Sixty-Eight

  “Patience,” Her mother's voice echoed in her head. “Patience, my dear, everything will work out for the best.” Bold words for a woman lying in the ground at Forest Lawn, Penny thought, searching her memory for a microscopic crumb of faith.

  The heart-pendant-wearing doctor left the interrogation room with a flippant remark about updating herself on the case. She wanted to clarify some details and get some more information. In Penny's opinion, the doctor needed to go fill her gold locket with feelings, kindness and more compassion. More, more, more–everyone always wanted something more out of her. She cringed thinking of Tina's voice demanding more, 'We need more contrast in that ad,' or 'He'll want more boxes for more used cars' and her least favorite…'Can you do this all over, one more time?' All right, so the shrink needed more information and Penny knew she needed more of her mother's divinely inspired recipe for patience. “Please God,” she said to herself, 'Grant me the serenity…' she started to pray while looking down at her flip-flops. Suddenly, the door swung open, jarring her back from her spiritual reflection. The ugly detective with the thick fishy lips returned to lecture her about drugs and ask her more personal questions. This time she spoke up before he even uttered a single word, before he sat down and even before he pulled out the chair to sit down.

  “I don't take drugs and I don't sell drugs,” Penny said, watching his undulating lips morph into a disbelieving scowl.

  It was apparent he still wasn't buying her story, and Penny felt he'd love nothing more than shipping her to the mental institution. “Slow down girl,” he paused for emphasis, “You'll be happy to know that the charges for trespassing on Niihau have been dropped.”

  Relief made her heart jump, but she maintained her composure. “All of them, even the ecological ones?” Mom was right about everything, she thought to herself.

  “Yup, all the charges,” he answered, pulling the air in through his mouth and heaving a loud wheezy sigh back out. Maybe his pants were tight, or he had nasal problems. When he sucked in air, he pursed his lips like a kiss and when he let air out of his lungs, he made the same strange blowhole with his lips. Saliva bubbles appeared on the edge of the thick, protruding orifice. It was absolutely gross, but she didn't know where to look.

  “Cool. I thought Mac died and you couldn't corroborate my story,” she said still staring at his hideous mouth and the stain on his tie. Disgusting, she thought, turning her head away and looking at the clock.

  “Actually, he almost did die in a helicopter crash, but his accomplice rescued him. This still leaves you charged for drug smuggling.”

  “Oh?” she paused and turned back to look at his face while gripping the edge of the table. There's always a catch with these authoritative types. “So how do you still think I'm involved in all this drug stuff?” Penny asked with renewed confidence, wondering if she would ever get out into the Hawaiian sun. Patience. She wasn't guilty when it came to drugs and the news about Mac not dying, immediately cheered her up.

  “The major players in this drug trafficking ring have been busted and fortunately we only have a few stragglers to pick up on the Big Island. Hawaii police even have a couple of the idiots recorded on security cameras.” He inhaled like a giant whale about to fall back into familiar icy habitat.

  “And?” She didn't know much about detectives and how they normally looked, but this guy probably wasn't going to be the inspiration for any Hollywood cop-show character. His repulsive look alone made her want to invent a good story, just so she could get out of there. The stomach-churning, puke-like stain on his tie made her nauseous, and she was willing to dish any information she could think of to get away.

  “And,” he repeated, “you had a ticket to Hilo in your bag. You were going to see Darin. You flew here to Kauai with a Captain Dan Losegg.” She bristled at the mention of his name, and she felt red circles forming on her pale cheeks.

  “Okay, so you're a freakin' detective, congratulations. What does Dan have to do with anything?” Taking a deep breath, she said, “I'm innocent and I ran out of money so I asked for Darin's help.”

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah, I've heard your story kid. Save it. FBI has Darin's entire place under surveillance.” Scratching his head, he continued, “Do you know Losegg called this whole drop off, 'Operation Penny'?

  “No, and I'm sure I don't care. He's a cheating, lying scoundrel and I'm not surprised because–because–he's an idiot.” Though she really didn't care, Dan and drugs didn't make sense. He was a pilot for American Air–how could he humiliate her like this?

  “Why do you think he's an idiot?” he asked, sensing her discomfort and noticing her eyes blinking back tears.

  “Because it's obvious. He lured me here on the pretense of having a great vacation, only to discover his beloved wife waiting for him at the resort. I already told you all this.” Normally not one to blush, Penny felt embarrassed at having to repeat her story so many times. The whole fiasco basically boiled down to a rare case of her own gullibility. Believing in a crack dealer made her feel utterly foolish.

  “That doesn't explain why you think he's an idiot.” All he could think of was that the poor little thing had really fallen for this Losegg scumbag. “He's quite an accomplished pilot and he's been smuggling for several years, so he must be pretty smart,” the detective pulled his funny lips into a sneer. More than anything in the world, he hated being wrong, but finally he began to see her innocence. “You've really only known him a few days?”

  “Yes,” Penny answered.

  He shook his head in disbelief and looked at his notes. “Is there anything else you'd like to tell me about him?”

  “Nothing I haven't already told you.” Penny didn't know what to say and she didn't have any answers he wanted to hear. Though she had compared Dan to the prince charming of her dreams, in reality, knowing him was more like walking into a beehive. The cheating moron had become a drug trafficking low life on top of everything else. Shrugging, Penny said, “I guess I feel sorry for his wife, that's all.”

  He glanced at the clock, picked up his papers and stood up. “Penny, I can't keep you here any longer, you're free to go.” Stretching out his hand, he wanted her to shake it but Penny kept her hands by her side. Escorting her out of the room, he guided her to a checkout station where she retrieved her personal belongings. “Be careful out there,” he said, “Oh and Merry Christmas.”

  * * *

  Chapter Sixty-Nine

  The Waikiki police chief looked like an energetic man who loved children and enjoyed playing games and entertaining his kids even after arriving home from a long day at the station. Twinkling eyes and a handlebar mustache made John think about Christmas. A few more years, add a beard, twenty pounds and the chief would make the ultimate Santa.

  On the way back to his office, he reassured John that the person who crashed the tour company helicopter had been alone. Not aware of all the details, he said he'd make a courtesy call
to Hilo.

  Picture frames lined the counter behind the chief and John noticed they all had children smiling, playing baseball or posing in front of a swimming pool. Some of the kids looked like him with his green-blond swimmer's hair and some had straight black hair with cute, pink little bows or baseball hats. One of the little boys stood on a diving board and had bright orange hair like Penny.

  “Cute kids,” John said taking a seat across from the chief.

  “I have a big family and it seems to be getting bigger all the time. I'll be working 'til I'm ninety,” He laughed, picking up the phone to dial the Hilo police station on the Big Island.

  He found out the helicopter pilot had a friend who rescued him and they were both in custody because of an international drug cartel operating between the mainland, South America and Hawaii. Apparently, the FBI had jurisdiction over the case and they were managing a sting operation, with the cooperation of local law enforcement. The helicopter pilot was in stable condition at a medical center, but they still had a few stragglers to nab, before they could close the case. Listening carefully, John watched the chief twist the ends of his mustache with his right hand. Finally, the Hilo chief told the Waikiki chief that they were holding a person of possible interest at the Kauai station. The suspect was a trespasser on Niihau who went by the name of Penny.

  “Penny?” The chief asked, glancing onto his desk and rifling through the papers for a missing person's form.

  Hearing the word Penny, made John sit up and lean closer. Could that be her or just a coincidence? He couldn't hear the conversation, but he watched the chief nod and make small understanding noises into the phone.